A preliminary estimate of damage caused by torrential rainfall to the agriculture sector of the southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan Province tops 6,000 billion rials ($46 million).
“Torrential rains and flash floods, which started on Jan. 9, have caused economic losses to agricultural farms, subterranean canals, roads leading to farms, animal husbandry units and fish hatcheries in Sistan-Baluchestan. Towns such as Konarak, Nikshahr, Chabahar, Qasr-e-qand, Delgan, Mehrestan, Sarbaz, Bampour, Fanouj, Khash, Sib and Soran have borne the brunt of flooding," Gholam Heydarzoraqi, the head of Agricultural Jihad Organization of the province, was quoted as saying by IRIB News.
“Estimates also show 27,000 hectares of land, 7,800 hectares of orchards and 1,454 water wells have been partially destroyed and 3,200 light and heavy farm animals were killed. In addition, 691 husbandry facilities and 952 honeybee colonies have been lost,” he added.
The official also referred to the total destruction of 15 greenhouses, 546 subterranean canals and 161 kilometers of farm roads and said losses sustained by the agriculture sector in areas, which have become impassable due to flooding, have yet to be estimated.
About 51.4% of the population of the province live in rural areas and farming is the main source of their income.
According to the latest data by the Agriculture Ministry, Sistan-Baluchestan accounts for five million tons of agricultural crops produced in Iran annually, including wheat, dates, tomatoes, watermelons and melons, in addition to tropical fruits such as banana and okra, the Persian-language daily Shahrvand reported.
This is the fourth time in the past six years that Sistan-Baluchestan has been hit by flash floods. The first flooding incident was in summer 2013, the second in fiscal 2016-17 and third in August 2019. The province’s agriculture sector suffered losses amounting to 2,000 billion rials ($15.26 million) as a result of the previous rounds of flooding.
“Agricultural farms in Zarabad, Chabahar and Nikshahr have been completely destroyed,” says Noorshah Mollazehi, the head of Sistan-Baluchestan Agricultural Guilds System of Central Organization Rural Cooperatives of Iran.
“Estimates are not that accurate. However, it is evident that recent torrential rains have been unprecedented in the past 30 years. We believe nothing has remained of agricultural products in the flood-stricken areas. The southeastern province meets a part of domestic demand for tomatoes, Persian melons, watermelons and bananas. There will be a shortage and price increases of these products in the short run,” he said.
“According to data from 15 rain gauge stations in Sistan-Baluchestan, more than 100 millimeters of rain fell on three days in the province, equivalent to one year’s rainfall in the region,” Mohsen Heydari, director of Sistan-Baluchestan Meteorology Organization, said.
Besides Sistan-Baluchestan, the two provinces of Hormozgan and southeastern Kerman were also affected by the floods.
Devastating floods swept several provinces across Iran last March and April, which coincided with the Persian New Year (Norouz) festivities.
Heavy rainfall overflew rivers, washed away bridges, inundated houses and destroyed infrastructure in Kermanshah, Fars, Lorestan, Kohgilouyeh-Boyerahmad, Golestan, Mazandaran, North Khorasan, Khorasan Razavi, Hamedan, Semnan and Khuzestan, killing 70 people and causing up to $2.5 billion in damages.
